More than 75 people including a man dressed as a missile armed with art, a kite with a duct tape peace sign and words, called for “Books, Not Bombs” on Tuesday.

The rally, held by Time For Peace south of the Campanile, had been planned for several weeks, said Basil Mahayni, sophomore in management information systems.

“We are talking about the real cost of war to us as American citizens and students,” said Matt Denner, junior in political science. “It is unfortunate that every time a bomb is dropped, we are increasing the cost economically for us.”

Adam Schettler, junior in mechanical engineering and who was not present at the rally, said he thought it was a good thing the government provided money for education but people should not expect it.

“It seems like people expect it like it’s a need,” he said. “It’s our education. Why can’t we pay for it ourselves?”

Schettler said one of his main problems with “Books Not Bombs” protesters is that he doesn’t believe people have a right to demand any more money for education than what is already given.

The rally focused on directing money used for the conflict in Iraq toward education, but there are many other government programs losing funding because of the war, Denner said.

“The focus for us here as students is education but [it would be] irresponsible for us not to talk about the other costs to the social structure of this country,” he said.

Schettler said social programs such as welfare are also things that should be taken as a gift, not as a need.

Neal Bowers, distinguished professor of English, said he had been actively involved in pro-peace efforts since the 1960s. Bowers read a poem he had written during the Persian Gulf War. The poem, titled “Back to the Void,” was published in an anthology in 1991 about the war.

“I feel it is my obligation as a long-time professor to take a position of peace,” he said. “What a better way to educate my students.”

Bowers said he was told about the rally by one of his students who is in Time for Peace.

“I am here because I think it is important to speak out for peace,” he said.

Several students spoke during the rally about staying proactive against the situation in Iraq and gave alternative solutions to violence.

Denner called for students and citizens to continue proposing solutions to the conflict, even though diplomacy has failed.

“We simply can’t afford to fight a war of this type as long as it [remains] unjustified,” he said.

Schettler said he believes the conflict in Iraq is justified, and the majority of the American public supports it.

Omar Tesdell, co-founder of Time For Peace and Daily columnist, made several statements about the harassment and vandalism experienced by ROTC members and anti-war protesters at the University of Iowa.

He said Time for Peace did not support the crime occurring at Iowa, and the actions were not peaceful ones.

“We support our troops and want them to come home,” Basil Mahayni said.

Denner said the acts of vandalism and harassment at Iowa do show how strongly some people feel about the conflict in Iraq.

“We have to acknowledge that the acts of vandalism at U of I show the intensity of feelings among U.S. citizens against this war,” Denner said. “I hope we do not reach the level of conflict we reached during [the Vietnam War], but we have to acknowledge the increasing social costs as a result of the continuing struggle against war.”